WT/WT+ Catering: What's with all the Indian entrée?
Jan 30, 2014, 8:57 am
#1
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WT/WT+ Catering: What's with all the Indian entrée?
Just flew four BA WT segments and was actually rather impressed over all with the service, seat comfort and space (all except IFE controls on the arm rests of 744s!). What didn't impress me was the catering. On the segments out of LHR the main course selection was either macaroni/pasta or chicken Masala/curry. The mid-flight sandwich was chicken coronation (i.e. curry). What's happened to English cuisine? Now I don't expect the same type of offering as in CW or F, but it would be nice to get a real English dish like shepherds pie or lamb stew. If I wanted Indian cuisine, I'd have flown Air India or Jet! (And my flights were not to/from India!) And to add insult to injury, all the flights ran out of London Pride and had only Heineken or Amstel!
Jan 30, 2014, 9:00 am
#2
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: London
Posts: 359
Well technically Coronation Chicken is a British invention.... but yes I agree. There does seem to be a bit of a curry overload recently. I don't mind myself as I find a lot of food tastes bland in the air so appreciate the stronger flavours, but my Mother despises most curry and has not been happy when it has been pretty much the only option on recent flights.
Jan 30, 2014, 9:10 am
#3
formerly rxfleming
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WT/WT+ Catering: What's with all the Indian entrée?
Do you want an "English" Dish, or "British" Dish?
Yes. It really does irk me.
Unfortunately "British" dishes are usually bland in flavour so up in the air getting something in your mouth that tastes good means they have to add spices or lots of salt.
I would recommend ordering a special meal if you can In future. That way you can guarantee getting something you may like.
Yes. It really does irk me.
Unfortunately "British" dishes are usually bland in flavour so up in the air getting something in your mouth that tastes good means they have to add spices or lots of salt.
I would recommend ordering a special meal if you can In future. That way you can guarantee getting something you may like.
Jan 30, 2014, 9:12 am
#4
Join Date: Mar 2007
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One might argue that chicken tikka masala and a pint of lager is Britain's national dish 
But yes IMO, BA should reflect a sense of traditional Britishness whilst appealing to a global customer base.
I love curry but if I ever see bloomin' salmon on the menu again ...
But yes IMO, BA should reflect a sense of traditional Britishness whilst appealing to a global customer base.I love curry but if I ever see bloomin' salmon on the menu again ...
Jan 30, 2014, 9:27 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: North Yorkshire, UK / Pasadena CA
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… and chicken tikka masala and cantonese stir fry are officially the UK's favourite dishes.
OP asks what happened to English cuisine. Well, the short answer is it largely died out in the industrial revolution as a result of mass population migration from country to towns. Meanwhile the UK acquired a global empire and a taste for delicious food from all over the world. A few traditional dishes survived in the mix but if there is such a thing as a British food culture, it's a cosmopolitan pick'n'mix. IMO British Airways reflects this reality quite accurately.
OP asks what happened to English cuisine. Well, the short answer is it largely died out in the industrial revolution as a result of mass population migration from country to towns. Meanwhile the UK acquired a global empire and a taste for delicious food from all over the world. A few traditional dishes survived in the mix but if there is such a thing as a British food culture, it's a cosmopolitan pick'n'mix. IMO British Airways reflects this reality quite accurately.
Jan 30, 2014, 9:30 am
#7
Join Date: Sep 2007
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Just flew four BA WT segments and was actually rather impressed over all with the service, seat comfort and space (all except IFE controls on the arm rests of 744s!). What didn't impress me was the catering. On the segments out of LHR the main course selection was either macaroni/pasta or chicken Masala/curry. The mid-flight sandwich was chicken coronation (i.e. curry). What's happened to English cuisine? Now I don't expect the same type of offering as in CW or F, but it would be nice to get a real English dish like shepherds pie or lamb stew. If I wanted Indian cuisine, I'd have flown Air India or Jet! (And my flights were not to/from India!) And to add insult to injury, all the flights ran out of London Pride and had only Heineken or Amstel!
As Flying Flis says Corination Chicken is also as British as it comes, so you should really be moaning about the Italian stuff on the menu!
Don't want to knock your view of the British but very few I know eat Lamb Stew or Shepherds pie anymore, so you should perhaps start expecting a nice stir fry on your next flight!
Jan 30, 2014, 9:33 am
#8
Join Date: May 2009
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Maybe it would be good policy to have one overtly British option (such as shepherds pie), and one that isn't (such as chicken tikka)? Just to balance it out. I can see a lot of international travellers in WT being a little confused by a menu such as that.
BA's marketing overseas often uses all the usual suspects when it comes to London's imagery simply because that's what people like to see/expect. Maybe honing that a bit more with the menu would be a good idea?
BA's marketing overseas often uses all the usual suspects when it comes to London's imagery simply because that's what people like to see/expect. Maybe honing that a bit more with the menu would be a good idea?
Jan 30, 2014, 9:42 am
#10
Join Date: Sep 2007
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Maybe it would be good policy to have one overtly British option (such as shepherds pie), and one that isn't (such as chicken tikka)? Just to balance it out. I can see a lot of international travellers in WT being a little confused by a menu such as that.
BA's marketing overseas often uses all the usual suspects when it comes to London's imagery simply because that's what people like to see/expect. Maybe honing that a bit more with the menu would be a good idea?
BA's marketing overseas often uses all the usual suspects when it comes to London's imagery simply because that's what people like to see/expect. Maybe honing that a bit more with the menu would be a good idea?
Esp as the British themselves don't eat it anymore!
Jan 30, 2014, 9:53 am
#11
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Jan 30, 2014, 9:57 am
#12
Join Date: May 2009
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Interesting perspective, but one that really I can't relate to!
Jan 30, 2014, 10:00 am
#13
Join Date: Jul 2011
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Horse can taste good - Findus lasagna for example.
Curry strikes me as an excellent inflight meal choice - tasty and doesn't die when you heat it in the oven. But then I like curry.
My mum does a great cottage pie (like shepeherd's pie but with beef instead of lamb), i'm sure she'd give BA the recipe in exchange for royalties.
Come to that she does a great lamb curry too.
Jan 30, 2014, 10:05 am
#14
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Brussels
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I do like the curry and its certainly a part of Modern Britain. Its only downside IMHO is that sitting on it for 8 hrs then going for a massive steak upon arrival at DFW does leave one feeling rather bloated, though that's based on one entirely self-inflicted experience...